Major Breakthrough for English Wines in the USA

English wines achieve a major export breakthrough as The British Bottle Company announces a partnership with Vine Street Imports to make its portfolio available throughout the USA.

The British Bottle Company represents twenty premium British drinks brands including English sparkling wine. A selection of these will now be imported by Vine Street and sold via the New Jersey-based firm’s extensive network of state distributors.

The first products to launch through this new partnership will be a collection of twelve English Sparkling Wines from Digby Fine English, Hush Heath Estate, Bolney Wine Estate and Camel Valley. These will be followed by further brands from The British Bottle Company portfolio in the coming months.

The deal marks an important step towards fulfilling the UK government’s recent commitment to achieve a ten-fold increase in exports of English wine by 2020.

Julia Trustram-Eve, Marketing Director of English Wine Producers, says: “As the reputation of English wine attracts ever more global attention the USA is clearly a priority market for exports. This deal is a significant milestone as it will be the largest portfolio of English wines available in any international market.”

Digby Fine English Co-Founder Trevor Clough comments; “The US-UK ‘special relationship’ goes much deeper than politics, and we know that Americans have an abiding love of English culture, tradition and luxury. We at Digby Fine English are delighted to be part of The British Bottle Company’s deal to bring one of England’s most innovative product categories into the US market: world-class luxury English sparkling wine. The US market is a strategic focus for our brand and hence it is key to have just the right partners.”

The British Bottle Company will exhibit at leading trade fairs as part of the Vine Street portfolio and will organise a number of marketing and brand-building activities including a wine portfolio launch in New York this October. To support this activity the company is in the process of establishing a US subsidiary and appointing a country manager.

Red Johnson, Founder & CEO of The British Bottle Company, says: “We have spent almost two years developing an understanding of the US market and planning the right entry. In Vine Street we have a dynamic partner with a real enthusiasm for our brands and a fantastic network throughout the States. As the world’s thirst for British drinks continues to grow, we are looking forward to developing the US market as a substantial part of our business in the coming years.”

Aaron Meeker, Brand Manager of the English sparkling wine program for Vine Street Imports says “We have been observing the rise of English sparking wine over the past few years and this is a unique opportunity to present a range of the finest to wine lovers across the USA. We are not ones to refrain from challenges in the market place; see our commitment to ‘interesting’ Australia while others have shied away. My affinity for sparkling wine from around the world is well-known and the market appears to be more ready now than ever to see what the hype is about in the southern England.”